BALTO AN AMERICAN HERO
by Texasman1836
Summary: Balto is an outcast in the town of Nome, But when the children of Nome become sick he has his chance of being a hero. Still a hero needs the help from his friends. Please leave reviews.
1. Chapter 1

In the town of Nome there are many stories of heroes, but none is more famous then then the story of the half-breed Balto. This is his story.

It was a beautiful day in the town of Nome, Balto, a cheerful, half-husky, half-wolf ran into town to watch a race with his friend Boris, a cranky Russian snow goose.

Now, it was hard to believe but Boris was as close to being Balto's father, because he had found the half breed when he was pup and had raised him. But Boris wouldn't let that stop him from looking out after Balto, even though he was now an adult.

Today was different, Boris was struggling to keep up with Balto, who seemed eager to see the race. "Every time there's a race, you run around like you're in one!" he panted, trying very hard to keep up with Balto.

"Maybe one day I will be in one!" called Balto cheerfully over his shoulder.

As Balto ran by the carpenter's shop, a young girl's voice made him stop. He propped his paws on the windowsill and peered in. There was Rosy, an eight-year-old with twinkling blue eyes and a cheerful smile. She laughed as her child-sized dog sled was handed to her by the town's carpenter, a husky named Jenna looked on.

Balto sighed. He could have watched Jenna all day. She was definitely the most beautiful dog in Nome. But then he remembered the race. With one last look, he hopped down from the windowsill and headed for the finish line, leaving Rosy and Jenna to enjoy their present.

Rosy harnessed Jenna to her new sled, and Jenna pulled the sled with her on it to the beginning point of the race line. At the race, Jenna met with her friends Sylvie, an elegant Afghan hound, and Dixie, a who was a showoff.

Now, Jenna had many friends in Nome, but they were mostly girls, because most of Nome's male dogs were always trying to move in on her.

But none more fiercely then the champion sled team leader, Steele. He always tried every trick in the book to get Jenna to go out with him, but she never fell for his dark charm. In fact, Steele was one dog she could live without. But today, Jenna was glad Steele wasn't back from his race, so she had a chance to enjoy spending time with her girl and her friends.

As Jenna walked with her friends Dixie tried to show off her new collar. "Good day, Jenna. It is a wonderful day for a race," the lovely Pomeranian said holding her head up high. Sylvie nudged Jenna. "Say something about her new collar before she gets whiplash."

Jenna nodded. "Dixie, what a beautiful collar. Is it new?"

"This old thing?" squealed Dixie with joy. "Yes! Do you think Steele will notice?"

Jenna only shook her head. "I'm afraid the only way Steele notices anyone is if they're wearing a mirror."

That was when Steele and the team got into town and they were heading right for the finish line. Rosy waved her hat to cheer on Steele, but a strong wind blew her hat right in the path of Steele. Rosy tried to reach for it, but Jenna grabbed her sleeve in an effort to keep her out of potential harm's way.

Balto saw the whole thing and rushed to get it. Steele was right next to him growling. All Balto cared about was saving Rosy's hat. He outran Steele and grabbed the hat just as it was about to be run over. Jenna and Rosy were amazed at how fast Balto was because Steele was the fastest dog until now.

Star, the wimp of the team also saw how fast Balto was, and he smiled. _Balto may be a half wolf, but he has a good heart._ Star thought as the team was cheered on for another great race.

Steele was angry with Balto for getting in his way, but he forgot about the half-breed because he saw something much more interesting, Jenna! Steele had a weakness for redheads, and he had his eye on Jenna for a long time and sought Jenna's paw in marriage. She never seemed half as interested in him, but he was sure that she would succumb to his charms.

Meanwhile Balto returned the hat to Rosy. The little girl smiled at him. "What a crazy thing to do!" she said glancing at Jenna. "Just to show off to a pretty girl!"

Embarrassed, Jenna turned away with a smile. But Rosy just laughed and gave Balto a hug. "I'm sure Jenna would love to have you on our team!"

Just then someone grabbed Rosy as she tried to put the harness on Balto. "Rosy, stay away from that dog!" It was her father.

"He might bite you. He's half-wolf." he said as Balto walked away sadly.

Rosy looked up at her father sadly. "Now you hurt his feelings!"

As Rosy and her father walked off with Jenna right behind them, Steele came up beside Jenna. He greeted her in a boastful voice. "Hi there, Jenna! Enjoy the race?"

"Yeah, almost as much as you did," said Jenna as Steele inched closer to her.

"Jenna, let's go celebrate. I know where all the bones are buried." said the malamute as he flashed a fang-filled smile.

Jenna was not up for a date with Steele. "I just lost my appetite." Steele replied darkly. "Well maybe your taste runs more toward wolf."

Jenna was annoyed, but took the opportunity to excuse herself when Rosy called for her and ran off to join her. Steele thought maybe she would be up for dinner.

Balto and Boris were on their way home when a voice called out to Balto, "Didn't make the team, Bingo?"

It was Steele and with Star, Nikki, and Kaltag. The three huskys laughed at the joke, but Star only did it to avoid from being pushed around also even if he liked Balto.

"My name is Balto!" growled Balto.

Steele walked past Balto and looked Boris in the eye. "Hey goose, you part turkey?"

Balto rushed to defend his friend. Steele only smiled evilly. Boris was not the one he was after. Pretending to howl about Balto's deceased mother, Balto grew angry and wanted to fight Steele, but decides its better not to fight with some encouragement from Boris. Steele and his gang laughed and kicked snow at Bato and Boris.

When Balto got home he met two of his friends. They were polar bear cubs called Muk and Luk. Boris and the cubs tried to make Balto feel better, but it was no use.

Boris then had an idea. "Go see Jenna." he said patting the half-breed on the back. Balto at first didn't want to, but he loved her the day he saw her. So he went to find her.

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	2. Chapter 2

It was a cold, dark, and vary sad night in Nome because the children were very sick. This was was even sadder for Jenna because her girl Rosy had the sickness that the others had, but she didn't know what kind of sickness her girl had.

Jenna sat on a bench that was next to a window. She was so caught up in watching Rosy, she didn't even notice Balto walking up behind her. But he noticed her.

"Jenna?" he said bashfully.

Jenna turned around. "Balto." she replied as she turned back to the window.

Balto tried to ask Jenna out for a walk by moonlight, but she just kept looking through the window. The half-breed felt broken hearted and turned to walk away, but then he saw that Jenna was crying.

Balto wanted help Jenna feel better so he lead her into the hospital's boiler room. The half-breed showed the beautiful husky the way through the ventilation system to a small space under the building and used colored broken bottles and the light from the vent to project a image of the Northern Lights on the wall.

The light made Jenna feel happy because it was the most beautiful thing she ever saw. "Balto, It's beautiful." said Jenna with a look of awe. "Yeah. Beautiful." replied Balto.

But the happy moument did not last because Balto and Jenna learned that Rosy had diphtheria. Jenna ran back to the boiler room with Balto right behind her.

The warm air of the boiler did not make them feel better because fear and sadness had taken them both. The half-breed turned to the beautiful husky and tried to comfort her.

"Jenna, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you. I shouldn't have taken you down there!" apologized Balto looking into Jenna's tear filled eyes.

Jenna returned the half-breed's gaze. "No. I'm glad you did," she murmured, ashamed of herself for running off and leaving him in the dark.

Balto and Jenna thought things couldn't get worse, but it did. Steele came into the boiler room with a stolen chain of sausages in his mouth. I guess he just felt like being the bad dog again...like always.

"Well, well. What's wrong with this picture?" said Steele looking at Balto who stood between him and Jenna. The malamute pushed right past the half-breed, and turned his attention to the beautiful husky.

"Jenna, join me for dinner," Steele said as he threw the chain around her neck and pulled her close to him. "You start at one end, I'll start at the other, when we get to the middle, well you tell me!" he flashed a fang-filled smile.

Balto grew angry, he was not going to let Steele treat Jenna wrongly, or be humiliated in front of her. The half-breed moved forward and bit at the chain, but Jenna stopped him because Steele was about to ready to attack him for interfering with him.

Jenna turned to Steele, she started to giggle, then moved next to him tickling his chin with her tail. The malamute could not believe his luck, but the half-breed was shocked that the husky that he loved was flirting with his enemy, but he saw her give him a wink. He then realized that she was only toying with the malamute.

"Gee, Steele, I have to admit, your offer is very tempting," cooed Jenna as she let her bandanna loosen up and cuddled up with Steele. "It is," said Steele confidently.

Steele thought he had won Jenna over, but he did not know that she was backing him up to the boiler. Balto stood there, smiling as he watched Jenna move Steele toward the boiler, but the malamute stopped only a few steps from the boiler.

Jenna knew that she had to take her act up to the next level. "I have to admit you're very tempting as well, Steele," she said huskily. "I've always been good with the ladies, and they can't resist me." laughed Steele not taking his eyes off her.

"I can see why no lady can't resist such a big, strong, and handsome dog, Steele," complimented Jenna as she rubbed her paws across the malamute's chest.

Steele could hardly breath, and he was so fixed on Jenna that he was only one step away from the boiler now. Balto waited to see what Jenna was going to do to get the malamute to take one more step.

Jenna knew how to deal with Steele, but she was not looking forward to what she had to do next to get him to back into the boiler. "You said, Steele, that you'd start at one end, I'd start at the other, and when we got to the middle, well this is what I had in mind!" said the husky curling a seductive smile on her lips.

Steele was unable to resist Jenna, and did not move away from her. "These days I prefer my meat cooked." said Jenna smiling as she took hold of his collar, and pulled the malamute into sharing a long, passionate kiss with her. The half-breed was shocked to see his enemy kissing the one he love.

"Jenna! What are you doing?" gasped Balto with a look of disgust and anger on his face.

After a brief moment Jenna and Steele pulled away from their kiss, and the malamute smug grin turned into a grimace. He started to smell the sent of burning fur. Jenna had backed him into the boiler! The malamute howled in pain, dropping the sausages.

"Let's get out of here!" yelled Balto as he lead Jenna out of the boiler room. Steele, giving chase, crashes through the door and landed behind them. The butcher and Rosy's father began to approach, and Jenna and Balto continued to run.

The malamute wanting revenge threw the sausage chain around Balto's legs causing him to fall. Rosy's father and butcher saw Balto as the thief and Steele as the hero in pursuit of him, but Jenna took the blame by taking the sausages from Balto.

"Looks like Jenna found her way into your meat locker!" said Rosy's father with frown. "It's a good thing that Steele was here." said the butcher as he gave the sausages to Steele as a reward. "You've earned these. Besides, I can't do anything with them since that dog of yours touched them!"

Rosy's father kicked snow at Balto. "Get out of here you mutt!" he shouted. Steele smiled evilly as the half-breed ran away, Jenna tried to follow him, but Rosy's father grabbed her bandanna. "Come on, Jenna! Let's go home!" he ordered.

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	3. Chapter 3

The people of Nome had become worried because there was no way for the antitoxin to get to Nome to save the children except by sled dogs. In fact, that was why a race was being held to pick the new team mates for Steele's team.

There were many dogs from all over Nome coming for the try outs, but they were only here for two reasons: to be on Steele's team and to help the children. After all, dogs had a bond feeling for children, but Steele didn't care about any of that.

Dogs waited along the starting line. Steele looked them over with contempt. He knew that he was going to lead them, but he was hoping that when he would return a hero Jenna would be his mate.

That was all that mattered to him.

Jenna, Dixie and Sylvie were in the sidelines ready to watch the race. Dixie was so full of joy, he eyes sparkled with love for her hero that walked about his team mates.

"Look at him," she sighed, her bushy tail wagged from side to side. "He's going to save the entire town, Steele is just, wonderful. Oh, how I wish he took a liking to me."

Jenna smiled and shook her head. "It's not a one dog team, Dixie," she said softly and got straight to the point. "They're racing to see who will be on the dog sled team. It is also to see if any of the new dogs might be able to make the run to the town of Ninna, and then back."

Dixie didn't seem to listen to Jenna, and started talking about Steele again. "Jenna, Steele is a great hero, how come you don't just get wise and become his mate. Because I sure would let him get under my tail."

Sylvie stepped up between the two. "That's because Jenna has been hanging around with Balto." The truth hit Dixie hard, it was so shocking that her jaw dropped and she looked at Jenna in disbelief. Jenna said nothing as to what the Afghan hound had said about her.

"They were seen together in the boiler room, and they went in together and they left together." explained Sylvie as she turned to Jenna. "I heard it from Steele so don't bother to deny it." she added with a smile.

Jenna smiled, then cleared her throat. "Well, then, I won't." Dixie and Sylvie looked at her again, but what they heard next hit them hard. "I won't even deny that I love, Balto."

Dixie and Sylvie were shocked and speechless that Jenna loved Balto and not Steele.

"All mushers! Get your dogs ready for the run!" the lead musher shouted. At his command, the dogs started to line up and their mushers removed their leashes. The crowd watched with eager smiles on their faces. No one knew who would be on the team, other then Steele that was.

In an alley, standing on a fence was Balto and Boris. The Russian goose fought to keep his balance on the shaky fence as he made his way to an open window.

"Balto, I want you to know the one thing I like a day when there is a sporting event." said Boris as he sat on the windowsill and grabbed a box. "Would you like a potato chip?" he asked as he eat one. The goose burped up a bubble. He had eaten a soap flake.

Balto had an idea of his own. "I'm going to run this race because I want to help Rosy get better. Wish me luck." he said as he headed for the starting line.

Balto entered the race, Jenna was astonished to see Balto running with the other dogs. However, she began cheering for him alongside Boris. Balto came in first place by not cheating like the others did.

That's when Steele walked to Balto. "Do you think that any musher would put you on his team. You're more mixed up then I thought." he growled.

"Steele!" snapped Jenna. "It doesn't matter who's on the team! As long as the medicine gets through, stop being such a glory-hound!"

Steele could not believe what Jenna called him, but he did not care. He thought that she would like him if he acted sorry. "You are right, Jenna." he lied. "I was not thinking about the children and I'll get the medicine for your girl and the rest of the kids."

Steele then turned to Balto. "When I get back I'm going to fold you five ways and leave you for a cat toy!" he growled.

Even though Balto came in first place, he was not allowed on the team for being half wolf because Steele made him look dangerous and he walked away after Steele smiled evilly at him.

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	4. Chapter 4

That night as the people stood outside the hospital, Rosy stood at the window with her mother and father. Her smile was gone and a frown had taken its place. She was really sick and was getting sicker.

Steele kept looking over his shoulder to inspect his team one last time, as his musher took his place. The malamute looked for Jenna to see if she was in the crowd, but she wasn't. He felt angry because of that, but Steele believed that she would chose him after he brought back the medicine.

Later that night Balto was listening to what the other dogs were talking about. Doc the old Saint Bernard had some bad new. "Steele and his team are lost." he said sadly.

A husky named Wild Joe spoke out. "Doc, can they send another team to find them?" he asked as Doc turned to him. "It's to dangerous." he replied sadly. "The children will die if Steele can't find his way back." he added.

Balto could not bear the thought of Rosy dying so he went to go check on her. Going to the hospital was the easy part, but seeing Rosy in bed with diphtheria was the hard part. She couldn't breath very good and she was sweating something awful. The poor child was going to die if the team didn't come, and Balto wasn't going to wait around for that any more.

No! He was going to find the team and bring them back safely. Rosy needed him. So, Balto took one last look at Rosy and then left, but Boris, Muk and Luk saw him and quickly followed him.

The Russian snow goose tried to get through to Balto. "Balto, you can't go out there in that storm," he honked, "you will die like a dog." Boris suddenly realized how insulting that sounded. "No offense." he said, but Balto kept walking.

As the four of them walked on, Balto suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. The cold air had another smell mixed in, something sweet and warm smelling. "Jenna!" he gasped and turned to face the beautiful Husky. "What are you doing here?"

Jenna stooped to catch her breath. "I...saw you...leaving the town, so I followed you." she said between pants.

Balto smiled. "If you want to tag along, you're more than welcomed to." then he left claw marks in the tree next to him.

Boris thought that was a little funny for him to mark a tree. "Good, Balto, you took on the roughest, toughest tree in the forest and you won."

"I'm marking the trail," the half wolf stated.

The snow began to pick up a bit and the wind started blowing from the east. Balto and his companions remained strong and pushed on forward. Balto took another sniff of the air. His nose picked up the team's scent.

"Steele and the others passed through here."

Boris looked worried now. "Boy, are they lost."

Boris was indeed right, Steele and his team were lost-lost in the blinding snow storm that had swept over them a few hours ago. Steele tried keeping his team in line, but Star kept breaking rank.

"Steele, we're going in circles!" he cried, just loud enough for the team and Steele to hear him though the howling winds. Steele turned and snarled at the whimpering husky. The others all believed Star was right for once.

Steele suddenly felt the waight of them bearing down on him. "No, it's this way!" he shouted and started running like a mad dog. The team had no choice but to follow him. The musher tried telling Steele to stop, but he wouldn't.

As Steele and the team moved through the snow they suddenly fell down an hill and knocked the musher out. The team got to their feet and checked the musher.

"What are we going to do now, Steele?" asked Star shivering in the cold. "Yeah!" growled Kaltag in response.

Steele didn't say a thing because for the first time in his life he was afraid. The team was just as scared because they had no musher now and no way home.

Meanwhile Balto and his friends were still on the trail of the team. Balto stopped to mark a tree, but a snowball almost hit him. Muk and Luk were having a snowball fight. After all, kids will be kids. However, Boris didn't like them playing round him.

He jumped out of the way of incoming snowball and turned to tell them to stop. SMACK! A snowball hit him right in the face.

Muk and Luk both laughed. "Way to go, Luk, right on the beak what a hit!"

"Alright! Who did that?!" Boris demanded with a shout, looking the two cubs in the eye. Muk hid behind Luk.

"It was him," he said, but Luk shook his head and pointed at Muk. Unknown to them all, something was watching them from the trees.

As Balto stopped to mark another tree, Jenna joined him. The lovely red Husky looked at him sadly. "Do you think we'll find the team in time, Balto?" she asked.

Balto thought for a second. "Yes," he answered, not sure if that was the best answer, but it was something to keep her hopes up. It didn't hide her doubt, but it did make her smile. Jenna nuzzled Balto and he felt a warm feeling in his heart. When she pulled away...

"What was that for?" he smiled.

"For everything you're doing to help my girl and the others."

Before Balto could reply, a deep growl was heard. He turned toward the direction of the growl and saw nothing. "Guys, I think-" the growl cut him off and he was just able to see something move behind some trees.

"I think we should get moving." said Balto with unease.

Boris was not happy because he could not keep up with the dogs. "That's easy to say with two lovebirds with four legs!" he said as he moved through the snow.

Just then another snowball hit the goose in the head. Boris was furious with Muk and Luk childish ways. "That's it!" he growled. "It's time for goose to kick a little bear butt!" he added as he saw the bear cubs shaking with fear.

Just then something cast a shadow over Boris. The goose turned around to see a hungry grizzly bear looming over him.

"Not good," he choked.

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End file.
